Programme: Rural Development Programme

The Balkan countries have a long history in the production of cheese, producing some of the best cheeses in the world, with varieties that travelled to all areas and native products ranging from a simple soft or semi-hard cheese to delicatessen cheeses, unique, rare and delicious. The movements of the Balkan peoples and their nutrition habits have led to the creation of many similar cheeses in various places. All Balkan countries produce feta-type white cheeses and kashkaval/kasser-type yellow cheeses, with smaller or bigger differences and different names.
The long-standing tradition of cheese in the Balkans is often reflected in the existence of small traditional creameries and cheese producing units. Dairy products produced by small producers are more diverse in their organoleptic characteristics than those produced on an industrial scale. The difference between provincial traditional production and industrial production is the local microorganisms, responsible for the fermentation, that give that special “Balkan” taste. 
In the Balkans, where there is still a high percentage of traditional cheese production, we will meet cheesemakers who produce cheese without the use of commercial crops and, thus, in their products there exist fine autochthonous microorganisms creating product diversity and capturing the uniqueness of the territory, the way of production and the contribution to health. The usual provincial and mountain areas of production give the chance for alternative tourism products: discover local cheeses, visit dairies and local producers, combine products such as cheese and wine, taste local recipes and gastronomy, visit events and festivals. 
Starting with the unique or rare or difficult to discover cheeses, along with their captivating “cheese stories”, the project will create and promote the myth of “Balkan cheeses” and promote the modern definition of the “Balkan cheese routes”.